Cotton-gin.



J. J. MUNALLY.

GOT'lOhT GIN.

APPLxoATIoN FILED MAY a.,1911.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

asHBETssmET 1.

fro @INIZIO 71 J. J. MGNALLY.

* COTTON GIN.

APPLICATION 'FILED MAY B, 1911.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

3 BHBBTB-BHEET 2.

n n u J. J. MUNALLY.

. COTTONG APPLIUATION FILED 1,002,598.

KAY 8, 1911.

Patented Sept. 5, 1-911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

MVM

UNITET) STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

JOHN J. MONALLY, OIF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR T0 MCNA'LLY PN EUMATIC GIN CORPORATION, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, A COBRQBALIQN OE VIRGINIA.`

` COTTON-GIN.

1,oo2,5os.

specification nf Letters Patent.

Patenten sept. 5, 1911.

the art to which it appertains toV make and use the same. y

The invention relates to gms for separat'- ing cotton or similar fibrous material fromY the seed, and more particularly to that class 1li of gine ltnoivn as roller ginsr in which the fibers are separated from the seeds by the action of one or more ginning rolls.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel and improved construction of roller l2ti gin whereby the fibers of the cotton may be readily removed from the seeds without dangerof breaking or reducingthe length of the ber, or of subjeetingthe fiber to 4such pressure as would crush or injure it, and

Z bwhereby the cotton drawn from the seeds f by the rollsnia)Y be efficiently .removed from the surface of -tli lrolls and delivered withH out injuryfftb the fiber.

To these ends the invention consists in. the

p0 features and combinations of parts herein after described and set forth in the claims. The various features of the invention will be readily understood from an inspection of i the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the machine illustrated therein.

` In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical. seetional view showing a cotton lin embodying the invent-ion in its preferred form; Fig. 2

isa front elevation; Fig. 3 is a detail seei tional viewshowingthe ginning rolls and stripping rolls; Fig.' L is adetail front elevation of the rolls shown in Fig. 3; and Figs. 5 and 6 show details of the breast.

plate. n i

In lthe machine shown in the drawings the devices for stripping the. cotton fiber from they seeds comprise tivo metal ginnlng rolls l and 2 which are mounted in fixed hearings and are arranged one labove the other and withitheir adjacent peripheries spaced apart from fourto one thousandths of an inch. The rolls arepreferablyof the same diameter, and are of'such'size that their peripheries form a receiving tliroat 3 the converging sides of which are at such an angle that lthe cotton seeds will not be carried between the rolls by the rapid rotation thereof. The separation of the rolls is important to their successful operation upon tlie cotton, since this allows the cotton which is stripped from the seeds by the rapid rotation of the rolls to be carried through between therolls without danger of subjectingthe fibel' to a crushing grip or bite such. as would injure the fiber. The eliieiency of the rolls may be increased by provid ing the surface of one of the rolls. preferably the upper one, with shallow grooves extending longitudinally and circumferentiallxr -of the roll, and providing the other roll with a smooth unbroken surface. lVith this construction the upper roll has an effective drag or drawing action 'on the cotton fiber, while the lower roll offers a smooth cooperatinlr .surface lor retaining the locks of cotton against the. surface of the upper roll until the fiber has been drawn from the seed. By providing one of the rolls with a smooth surface, the gripping and breaking ofthe ends of the cotton seed which might occur if both rolls were `roovedl or roughened, is avoided. The cotton fibersivhicli are drawn from the seeds and carried between the gin-v ning rolls tend to cling to the surfaces of the rolls and wrap about the rolls. It is necessary, therefore, that, the cotton fiber be removed or stripped from the surface of the ginning rolls, and this must be accomplished and the cotton delivered wit-hout in]ur f to the fiber. 1

The means employed for removing the cotton fiber from the surface of the ginning' rolls constitutes one of the important features of the presentinvention. In accord ance with thisl feature of the invention the cotton fiber is removed from the surface of the rolls by directing a current of air across the periphery of each off the ginning rolls in a direction opposite to its travel. The jets or ribbon of air passing across the periphery of the ginning roll directs the leading ends of the cotton fibers away from/che periphery of the roll and removes practically all the cotton from the surface of t-he roll without injury to the ber. Ithas been fou-nd, how ever, that occasionallysome of the berwill adhere to the roll and' will pass beyondthe point of application ofthe air current or jet. In order that vany such adhering fiber ma be stripped from the surface of the rOl a further feature of the invention contemplates providing stri ping devices which travel close to the sur ace of the ginning rolls in the same direction as the air current, and strip from the rolls any adhering fiber which has not been removed by the air currents.

In the construction shown, the means for directing a. current of air across the peri 'hery of the rolls, and for stripping any a hering cotton from the surface of the rolls, comprises two stripper rolls 4 and 5 arranged at the rear of the ginning rolls,

' and each driven at a high speed in the same direction as the cooperating ginning roll. Those stripper rolls are of comparatively large size, and are provided on their surfaces with alternating circumferential grooves and ribs. The grooves are comaratively shallow, and the surfaces at the bottoms of the grooves form the cylindrical bodies of the rolls. The rolls are provided with longitudinal rods or bars 6 which are spaced from the bottoms of the grooves and form stri-pers which travel close to the surface o the ginning rolls, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. The rolls are also so arranged that their peripheries travel close to leach other back of the ginning rolls, and act -to guide and carry away the cotton liber after it has passed between the ginning rolls and lbeen removed therefrom by thel air currents. A chute 7 is arranged at the rear of the strip r rolls, and a` suction device is connecteciwwith this chute and draws lair through the space between the bodies of the stripper rolls and through the restricted passages formed between the bodies of the rolls and the peripheries of the ginning rolls. The spacing of the bars 6 from the bodies of the stripper rolls allows a continuous iow of air between the stripper rolls and ginning rolls, and also allows the airto iiow under any cotton fiber which may tend to adhere to the surface of the strip er rolls and to be carried around with t ie rolls. This insures the remo-val of the cotton liber from 'the surface of the ginning rolls, andv dition to act etlicierrlyn the cotton.

The chute Z directs the cotton against periphe of a. cdndenserdrum 8 which is provide with the u s'ual wire covering and is arranged at the mouth lof tl chute. -The cotton is removed from the surface of 'the condenser drum by a. don roll 9 and cooperating pressure roll.10 o usual construe tion. The means for creating a. suction and flow of air through the chute-7 and between thestripper and ginningrolls comprises a fan 1l. mounted at the end of the condenser drum vso that it will act to create a How of air through the drum and chute 7, and between the rolls.

The cotton to be ginned is placed ina hop er 12, and is fed by slowly rotating fee rolls 13 to 'a partially surrounde by a screen 15. The 'picker roll is driven at a comparatively high speed, and the projecting pms on 'the roll take the cotton from the rolls 13 and carry it over the screen 15, through which any dirt or dust asses, and-is removed by a conthe icker roll 14 are further se arated and are broken up into separate loclis by a second picker roll 17 which is driven at a somewhat higher speed than the roll 14, and rocasing is provided with inwardly projecting pins 19,. -Alterna-te rowsof the pins I94 project between the pins on the picker oll, while the other rows of pins are shorter, and are in line with the pins on theA picker roll. Thislconstruction and arran ement results the cot-ton into the indiwdual locks, so-tht it may be more rapidtj" efficiently operated upon. by the ginningl rolls. The cotton delivered by the pickenroll 17 passes down throughl a.. chute 2() and is directed against the front-'vaof the ginning rolls. The inner side of th'erchute 20 is formed by a plate 25 vwhich is adjustably secured to the plate 26 of the casing' and covers the front side of the roll 4, so that the cotton is directed away from the front of the roll. This plate may be adjusted vertically to bring it into pro er relation to the ginrnng and stripping ro ls. The outer side of thechute 20 1s V,provided adjusted" toward an from the periphery of the lower roll 2, so that aspace is left between the end of the which is large enough or th passage of seeds, but'is not sufli'ciently largetoallow the esca e of the locks of cotton. y

T 1e ginning and-stripping rolls may be of any suitable length; and are/preferably sup- VVhe-n therols a/re thus supported and divided into "sections, the chutes 20 for the diierent construction of breast plate which is shown in Figs. 5'and .6, and forms one feature of the present invention.

consists of a plate 23 extending across the picker roll 14 which is veyer 16. T e masses. of cotton carried byported. at intervalsrby"bearings, so that the machine is divided into a number .f sect-ions.

sections are preferably formed by a novel,

This breast platetates within a cylindrical casing 18. The A in an eh'icientbreaking up an separation' (f with an adjustable dplate, 21 'which may be p 1.15 late and thel roll machine in front of the ginnng and stripping rolls and forming the vouter walls of the chutes 20. Secured to or projecting from the inner faceof the plate are a series of casings 2i which arc arranged to embrace the bearings for the rolls, and the inner edges of which are shaped to tit against the casing plate 2C and to follow the curve of the adjustable plate 25, These casings prevent the cotton from engaging the bear'- ings. and form the end walls of the chutes for directing the cotton against the front of the ginning rolls. The breast plate with the attached easings may be readily removed when it is desired to gain access to the front of the rolls. The adjustable plates 21 are carried by the breast plate 20,.and may be independently adjusted to bring them into proper relation to the ginning rolls. A des, livery chute 22 is provided below each chutcf 20 through which the seeds are discharged after the cotton liber has been removed therefrom.

lVhile'it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of 'parts shown and described, it Will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essentialexcept so far as referred to in the claims, and may be varied and modified without departing from the broader features of the invention,

Having explained the nature and object of the invention. and specifically described one form of mechanism in which it may be embodied, what I claim is 1. A cotton gin, having, in combination, a rotary ginning roll, an opposed surface spaced from the roll to avoid crushing the cotton fiber and forming vtith the periphery of the roll a throat for ejeeting the stripped seeds, and means for directing a current of air across the peripheryY of the roll in a direction opposite to its travel to remove the cotton drawn through the throat by' the roll from the surface of the roll, substantially as described.

2. A cotton gin, having, in combination, tivo oppositely rotating ginning rolls having their peripheries spaced apart to avoid crushing the cotton liber and sutliciently close to prevent seed passing between them, and means for directing a current of air across the periphery of each roll in a direction opposite to its travel to remove from the surface of the rolls the cotton drawn lfrom the seed, substantially as described.

3. A cotton gin, having, in combination. two oppositely rotating ginningfrolls spaced a art to avoid crushing the cotton and sailiclently close to prevent seed passing between them, means for directing a current of air across the. periphery of each roll in a direction opposite to its travel to remove from the surface of the roll the cotton .drawn from the seed, and stripping devicesA `traveling strippers spaced from the bodies and trav-` eling close to the surfaces of' the ginninyir rolls, andmedlts for producing acurrent of air through the passagesbetween the ginnin and stripper rolls, substantiallyas descri ed.

5. A cotton "n, having, in combination, a metal ginnmg rollI provided withl a grooved surface, an o positely rotating` metal .ginning roll pr'ovi ed with a lsu'xootb surface and spaced from the first roll to avoid crushing the cotton and suiiicient'ly close to prevent seed passing between tbe rolls, a stripper roll at the rear of each ginning roll provided with a cylindrical body forming with t-he periphery-of the corresponding ginning roll a restricted air passage across the periphery of the grinning roll and with strippers spaced from tbc body1 and traveling close to the surface` ot the ginning rolland means for producing a current of air between the ginnng and stripper rolls, substantially as described.

(ifi-L cotton gin, having, in combinatitm. tivo oppositely rotating gmning rolls spaced apart to avoid crushing the cotton and sufficiently close to prevent seed passing between them, tivo stripper rolls at the rear of the ginning rolls arranged with their pe'- ripberies close to the ginning rolls and to cach other, strip ers on the rolls spaced from tbe bodies oi) the rolls for the passage of air, a chute to the 'rear lof the stripper rolls. and means for drawing air through the chute and betweemthe stripper and ginning rolls,Y substantially as described.v

'7. A cotton gin, having, in lcombination. two oppositely rotating ginning rollsspaced apartto avoid crushing the Vcotton and :"ut ticiently close to prevent seed passing bctiveen them, tivo stripper rolls at the rear of the ginning rolls arranged with their pcripheries close to the gnning rolls. a chute to tbe rear of the stri per rolls, a condenser at the month of the c nte, and a fan at ibo end of the condenser for draiviu fr air through the condenser. through the chute` and between the stripper rolls and ginnici! rolls, aibstantially as described,

8. L cotton gin, lia-ving. in combination. ginniag rolls. bearings-for the rolls dividing them into sections. a plate above tbe rolls, and a breast plate in front of the rolls provided with projecting casing/gs embracing the bearings, substantially as described.

yi). A cotton gin, having, in combination, tfginning rolls, bearings for the rolls dividing them into sections, adjustable plates for the rolls, and a breast plate in front of the rolls provided with easings embracing the bearing und adjustable pla-tesV on the reast plate between the casings, substantially as described. Y

10. A cotton gin., having, in combination,- coperati-ng ginning rolls, stripper rollsat .the rear of Vthe ginning rolls arranged Withl their peripheries close to the ginnin rolls, e chute at the rear ,of the stripper ro s, and

means for drawing air through the' chute4 and between the stripper and substantially as described.

11.. A cotton gin,4 having, in combination, eoperatingginning rolls', stripper rolls arranged Witiitheir peripheries close to the ginning rollseand provided with pasginning rolls,A

sages for the {iow of nir between the stripper and ginning rolls within the periplieries of the stripper rolls, e chute at the rear of the stripper rolls, and means for drawing air through the chute and between the stripper and ginning rolls within the peripheriesv of the stripper rolls', substantially as described.

12. A cotton gin., having, in combination, coperating ginning rolls, stripper rolls provided with skeleton peripheries arra-ngledelose to the stripper rolls whereby air may ow between the stripper and ginningrolls within the peripheries of the stripper'ro1ls,',and means at therear of the ginnlng and stripper rollsl for drawing air between lthe'ginnlng and stripper rolls, substantially asdescribed. l

' l JOHN J. MGNALLY.

Witnesses:

N. D. MCPHAIL,

GEORGE E. STEBBINS. 

